IYA2009 Updates

Imagine spending three weeks of your summer in beautiful mountain scenery working with other students from all over the world on an astronomical project of your choice. The International Astronomical Youth Camp (IAYC) is a three-week long summer camp aiming to promote knowledge on astronomy and related sciences in an international atmosphere. Each year it takes place at a different European location, this year from 1 - 21 August in the small town of Klingenthal in the east of Germany, near the border of Czech Republic.

The IAYC is different from most astronomical camps for two reasons: the international character and the fact that you carry out your own small research project. You will not just accept facts, but you will discover them yourself or working together with other people. The IAYC is therefore not like staying in a hotel and following a summer school or an astronomy course.

As a participant you will explore astronomy related projects in one of the seven working groups - together with other young people. These projects are done in a working group of your choice and depend on your own interest. The working groups themselves will be led by young scientists and focus on a specific field in astronomy. The IAYC2010 will offer a wide range of working groups and topics, from practical astronomy and basic theoretical astronomy over simulations in astronomy and electronic-robotronic engineering to high energy astrophysics, astrochemistry and not-so-introductory physics. There will be something for everyone from the complete beginner to the ambitious student. This year the working groups are:

As well as the astronomical programme, there are many non-astronomical activities such as group games, sporting events, singing evenings, hiking tours and an excursion. Since it is an international camp, the camp language is English.

Anyone from 16 to 24 years old and able to communicate in English may participate in the IAYC 2010. The fee for accommodation, full board and the whole programme, including the excursion, will be 620 Euro. However, early applications arriving before 15 April 2010 receive a 30 EUR reduction, making the camp fee 590 EUR. For people interested in participating in the camp that are not able to pay the camp fee themselves, a limited number of grants are available.

For more details, application form, outlines of projects and pictures from previous camps please visit http://www.iayc.org/ or e-mail the info service: info@iayc.org

Last year was the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009). The year saw members of the public join astronomers to gaze at the stars and let themselves be inspired by the mysteries of the universe. While some events lasted just a few nights, a special initiative of Blackrock Castle Observatory (BCO) and Cork City Council in partnership with Cork Printmakers will have a lasting impact in the minds of young children in Cork and in the Arusha region of Tanzania. “Capture the Cosmos” was organised under the umbrella of the international Universe Awareness (UNAWE) programme, one of the IYA2009 cornerstone projects whose mission is to ‘broaden young children’s minds with the scale and beauty of the universe’.

For several days, pupils of four Cork primary schools learnt about astronomy and art and how to use various printing techniques. They created beautiful works of astronomical art, which were then exhibited and auctioned by NASA astronaut Dan Tani to raise funds for the Universe Awareness programme in Tanzania. “The pupils really enjoyed learning so much science while being creative,” says Clair McSweeney, of BCO. Some of the lucky owners of the artworks include the astronaut and officials of Cork City Council.

The money raised was used to acquire a telescope for the UNAWE programme in Tanzania. The telescope has now just been delivered. “Professional astronomy is an international endeavour. It is wonderful to see young people partner up internationally like this as well,” says Dr. Carolina Ödman, manager of Universe Awareness.

The arrival of the 6-inch telescope is welcomed by the Tanzanian team. “The project is about more than entertainment, even if fun is at the heart of it. Astronomy is a source of inspiration for kids to acquire knowledge about the universe and consider careers in science,” says Mponda Malozo from UNAWE Tanzania. He leads a team of astronomy and engineering students who started off with outreach activities in five primary schools in the rural Arusha region in Tanzania. Dr. Geoffrey Karugila, a professor at their university called their volunteer work “superb”. The team writes, “the motivation behind this project is an awareness of the urgent need for skilled scientists in the country.“

Fun was certainly shared between the pupils in Cork and in Tanzania, who will soon meet virtually over the internet and discuss the moon, planets and stars and dreams of a future that will perhaps bring them together in unravelling the mysteries of the universe. Meanwhile, the work of BCO and UNAWE Tanzania continues, as more schools and more young people are drawn to the stars.

It's called "Out of this World - Wonders of the Solar System" (or "Sternstunden - Wunder des Sonnensystems"), occupies a cylinder 100 metres high, and has been visited 500,000 times in just 10 1/2 months: the largest exhibition devoted to IYA2009 in Germany in the Gasometer in Oberhausen.

A gasometer, or gas holder, is a large container where natural gas or town gas is stored near atmospheric pressure at ambient temperatures. The one in Oberhausen in the Ruhr served

that purpose for over 60 years but was turned into a giant exhibition "hall" in the 1990s. Out of this World, which opened on 2 April 2009, as one of the IYA2009 highlights in Germany, turned out to be the most successful show by far - so no wonder it has been extended for a full year until 30 December 2010, now as a key contribution to the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010 which encompasses over 50 Ruhr cities. On 16 February 2010 the 500,000th visitor was counted.

The exhibition, a joint venture by the privately run Gasometer GmbH, the German Aerospace Centre DLR and regional astronomers, consists of three sections: on the ground floor huge prints of particularly beautiful astronomical and space images as well as scale models highlight

our present knowledge of the Solar System, the space probes that went there, and the Universe beyond. On the next level a collection of rare historical as well as contemporary astronomical and space science instruments introduces the means by which mankind has learned about the wonders of the Universe and how our view of the world has changed as a consequence of that. And finally, on top of it all a model of the Moon, with a diameter of 25 metres "the largest one on Earth", hovers

over a vast arena. It's inflated and printed on with the high-resolution albedo map from the Clementine orbiter, while lighting effects mimic the lunar phases and soft music completes a truly out-of-this-world experience that many come to enjoy again and again.

Novi Sad's astronomy events attract large crowdsThe organisation Caspar of Novi Sad, Serbia, has celebrated IYA2009 in style with a series of popular events. Their programme was aimed primarily at children but was versatile enough to interest adults as well. To act as a legacy, a website has been launched summarising the events through photographs and accompanying text. Learn more here: http://www.casparcenter.org/astronomija/index-eng.htm

Website SpaceAgenda now onlineNew website SpaceAgenda is designed to allow you to reach space events gathered from all around the world. Conferences, workshops, congress, symposiums, training courses, seminars, meetings and outreach events are just one click away. You may search events according to date, country, type of event or simply by typing your interest keywords. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/803/

The European Southern Observatory is looking for enthusiasts to help translating its astronomy videosWould you like to see the European Southern Observatory’s astronomy outreach videos, such as the popular ESOcast video podcast series, subtitled in your own language? ESO is now uploading videos to dotSUB, a website which enables members of the public to contribute translated subtitles of videos in any language. You can help bring exciting news from the world of ESO astronomy to an even wider international audience. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/802/

Norwegian astrophoto competition winners announcedIYA2009 celebrations in Norway included an astrophoto competition which attracted entries of professional calibre. The jury noted that the photographers had used a variety of techniques. Several images were striking works of art, while other were more traditional. Now the winning ten have been announced, and can be seen online. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/801/

Happy birthday, Galileo!Galileo Galilei was born on 15 February 1564. 2009 was the 400th anniversary of his worldview-changing telescopic observations and discoveries, and it is this fact which led it to be declared the International Year of Astronomy. Galileo has been called the "father of modern observational astronomy", the "father of modern physics", and "the Father of Modern Science". Without his contribution to astronomy and science, the world in which we live today would seem very different. All IYA2009 supporters are asked to join together in wishing this astounding figure a very happy birthday!

Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2010 Programme announcedThe "Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2010" (CAP2010) conference will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 15 to 19 March, 2010. Following the previous conferences in this series, it aims to address the modern challenges in astronomy communication through a global perspective. Major themes of CAP2010 will be the outcome and legacy of IYA2009 as well as techniques for how to make public astronomical knowledge global and accessible to everyone across national, language, political, social and cultural borders and to those with impairment limitations. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/799/

Bingo! Astronomy game cards available to downloadAstronomy supporters in Costa Rica are distributing "Stellar Bingo" as an educational resource that will reach four countries (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic) printed on cereal boxes and posted on the web as digital images with free access. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/796/

Concert and film will give a new perspective on the heavensThe event "Globe of Science and Innovation at CERN" has been scheduled for April 2010. Combining music and video footage, it will tell the story of a philosopher being killed because of ideas derived from logic, and the dawn of modern science when new discoveries still seemed like magic. For more information, please visit: http://www.makrokosmos.eu/

Echoes of Apollo: a worldwide Moon Bounce eventA worldwide Moon Bounce event, Echoes of Apollo (EOA), is set up for 16, 17 and 18 April 2010. This exciting expedition to the Arecibo Radio Telescope will also feature large Earth-Moon-Earth dishes, including those at MIT, Dwingeloo Holland, Chur Switzerland, possibly Goldstone/Apple Valley, Morehead State, and PARI, (Pisgah Astronomic Research Institute), in N. Carolina, along with many other amateur stations around the world. Science outreach is a key objective of EOA, and there will be opportunities for schools to be involved. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/797/

2010 Tanglewood Parade to feature astronomy eventsAs part of the Tanglewood on Parade activities on 3 August 2010, special guest Dr. Donald Lubowich, from Hofstra University’s Astronomy Outreach Program, will offer stargazing for adults and children with telescope observations of the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, star clusters, and nebulae. There will also be exhibits on the science of music, the sounds of the Sun, and the musical compositions of Galileo’s father. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/793/

Innovative theatre linked to telescopes projects astronomical imagesSwift progress is being made with the new "Joshua Tree Astronomy Theater" in Joshua Tree, California. Telescopes will be connected with video cameras which send images to high projection equipment to provide near-live images of deep sky objects onto six projection screens that will measure 9 feet tall by 12 feet wide. This method will show the night sky to large crowds and bring images to people in a way that has never before been possible. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/791/

The organisation Caspar of Novi Sad, Serbia, has celebrated IYA2009 in style with a series of popular events. Their programme was aimed primarily at children but was versatile enough to interest adults as well. To act as a legacy, a website has been launched summarising the events through photographs and accompanying text.

New website SpaceAgenda is designed to allow you to reach space events gathered from all around the world. Conferences, workshops, congress, symposiums, training courses, seminars, meetings and outreach events are just one click away. You may search events according to date, country, type of event or simply by typing your interest keywords.

SpaceAgenda is an interactive platform which provides organisers to submit their events and allow guests to leave comments. You can easily be informed about updates via your Twitter, Facebook accounts or via RSS Feeds. The site was designed and programmed by Yann Lorber, under concept and content management of Halit Mirahmetoglu (IYA2009 SPoC for SGAC).

Would you like to see the European Southern Observatory’s astronomy outreach videos, such as the popular ESOcast video podcast series, subtitled in your own language? ESO is now uploading videos to dotSUB, a website which enables members of the public to contribute translated subtitles of videos in any language. You can help bring exciting news from the world of ESO astronomy to an even wider international audience.

To find the videos, search for “ESOastronomy” on the dotSUB site. If you just want to watch the videos (with any available subtitles), you don’t need to create an account. However, if you want to help ESO by translating the subtitles into your language, you just need to create a (free) account at dotSUB. Then, simply choose a video and start translating.

IYA2009 celebrations in Norway included an astrophoto competition which attracted entries of professional calibre. The jury noted that the photographers had used a variety of techniques. Several images were striking works of art, while other were more traditional. Now the winning ten have been announced, and can be seen online.

A special mention goes to first place winner Tom Victor Kolkin, for his stunning photo of the Bubble Nebula.

Galileo Galilei was born on 15 February 1564. 2009 was the 400th anniversary of his worldview-changing telescopic observations and discoveries, and it is this fact which led it to be declared the International Year of Astronomy. Galileo has been called the "father of modern observational astronomy", the "father of modern physics", and "the Father of Modern Science". Without his contribution to astronomy and science, the world in which we live today would seem very different.

All IYA2009 supporters are asked to join together in wishing this astounding figure a very happy birthday!